It has been announced that after having met all the requirements, the country has officially obtained recognition as a nation free of Classical Swine Fever.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock reported that "...This recognition gives Costa Rica an official health status, thanks to the fact that the country does not have the disease and the conditions of legislation have been fulfilled which include veterinary services, control and eradication strategy, animal identification system, control of their movements and laboratory diagnosis, among other things."
Between January and March of this year, 130 million kilograms of pork were produced in Panama, and the price per pound paid by consumers exceeded $4.25.
Production in the first quarter of 2018 amounted to 130 million kilos, and slaughters exceeded by 4% the figure reported in the same period in 2017, according to figures from the Comptroller General of the Republic.
Through the treaty the Israeli market will have preferential access to Panamanian products such as vinegar, coffee, palm oil, beef, cassava, flour and beer, among other things.
The Panamanian government reported that "...In the framework of a meeting between the president of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela and the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, a Free Trade Agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding on agricultural matters was signed."
Due to the costs generated by the transport of cattle, business leaders in the sector and state entities have announced the creation of a cattle auction in Turrialba, province of Cartago.
According to business leaders in the area, they currently trade in places such as Puriscal or in the Caribbean, and the cost of transporting livestock, added to other unforeseen events and the weight that the animals lose on to the trip, causes losses of around $100 per animal.
Entrepreneurs in the sector plan to resume sales to El Salvador and Honduras during the second half of the year, after their restriction in 2011.
In 2011, countries in the region imposed restrictions on the entry of pork from Guatemala, after detecting the presence ofClassical Swine Fever.Now, Guatemalan pork producers are preparing to resume sales in the coming months.
The union for the sector reports that from January to March of this year, they have exported 1,200 tons of beef, and this year they expect to sell abroad around $22 million worth.
According to authorities at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), during the first quarter of the year there have been good numbers in sales abroad, reporting average exports of 400 tons per month.
Using resources from the European Union and the Nicaraguan government, a program will be financed which focuses on the transformation of the cattle value chain and the implementation of a sustainable production model.
The institutions promoting the program reported that "... through this program, the European Union (EU) is making available to the GRUN a total of €20 million, which will be administered by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for the Development (AECID), which is also contributing 500 thousand euros, and there will also be a counterpart contribution from the Government of €1.2 million."
In February, the FAO food price index fell by almost 3% in year-on-year terms, due to a drop in prices of sugar and vegetable oils.
From the monthly report on the FAO food price index:
The FAO food price indexstood in February 2018 at an average of 170.8 points, that is to say, 1.1% (or 1.8 points) more than in January, although it is still 2.7% less than its value in the same period last year. Higher international prices for dairy products and cereals contributed to the inter-monthly rise in the value of the index, while prices for sugar and vegetable oils declined and meat prices remained stable.
Representatives of the trade union announced that the country will receive the "insignificant risk" certificate next May, which will allow it to reach new markets and export cuts of bovine meat on the bone.
Local authorities reported that in relation to bovine spongiform encephalopathy disease, better known as "mad cows disease", the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) will grant the country the status of "negligible risk", which is necessary to sell abroad cuts of bovine meat on the bone.
The Agricultural Development Bank has $14 million to use for financing the purchase of livestock and bulls created through artificial insemination, with an interest rate of 2%, a term of 15 years and with collateral.
The Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) reported that the goal of this financing is to repopulate male and female livestocks, and also seeks "...
The Ministry of Defense in Guatemala is putting out to tender for the period of eight months, a supply of ingredients for food preparation for the Fifth Infantry Brigade.
Guatemala Government Purchase 7377444:
"Some quantities of food required:
- 50 thousand pounds of different types of white meat
Empacadora Agroindustrias Del Corral has been authorized to export fresh, chilled or frozen beef to the Asian nation.
From a statement issued by the National Service for Agrifood Health and Safety:
February 1, 2018. - Through an official note, authorities at the National Service of Food Safety and Health (SENASA) received notification of the approval from the Taiwanese authorities to import meat into the country.
Up to September 2017, the number of head of cattle decreased by 2% compared to the same month in 2016, while pigs increased by 3%.
According to figures from the Livestock Survey, prepared by the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), as of September 2017 there were 1.5 million cattle, 398 thousand pigs and 25.4 million hens and young chickens.
In Costa Rica, producers of buffalo, rabbit and lamb meat sell their products through restaurants and some supermarkets, in response to growth in consumption which has been noted in recent years.
The sophistication of consumption, hand in hand with a greater diversification in the gastronomic supply at restaurants has been pushing up demand for nontraditional meats, such as rabbit, buffalo and lamb.
In 2017 sales to the Asian country totaled around $124 million, 50% more than that was sold in 2016, and were led by shrimp and sugar exports.
The products that registered the highest demand last year were shrimp, with $46 million, sugar, with $30 million, meat and bovine by-products, with $25 million, coffee with $8 million, lobster with $6 million, and sea cucumber, with $5 million.